Mental Health Awareness Week 16th – 22nd May
For Mental Health Awareness Week, I would like to try to reduce the “stigma” and dispel some of the Myths about Counselling.
You don’t have to feel like your going ” Crazy” to have Counselling!
You don’t have to have a serious mental health condition or anything “wrong” with you to have Counselling. You may need some help making a decision. It could be a current situation you need to talk through for example - making a decision about University, your career, relationship, or changing something in your life - nothing is too great or too small to want to reach out for some discussion on your situation.
While your friends and family can be great for guidance, sometimes you need a professional who has no bias or stake in the outcome. A counsellor will listen with empathy (putting themselves in your shoes) without any judgement, in a confidential environment. With techniques and strategies, counselling can help you to deal with your concerns and find a way forward.
It can take as little as two or three meetings to untangle your thoughts and get a clearer view of which direction you want to go in.
Never think a problem is too small or insignificant to bring to counselling. Whatever is concerning you is important. When I first meet someone they often say “this is silly” or “It’s not really a big problem”. I never think it’s silly or unimportant. The time you have with a counsellor is about YOU and whatever you want to talk about.
Myths about Counselling
“Counselling should always take a long time”
Some people want to address a great number of factors, whereas others may to wish to tackle what they may perceive as a small difficulty. Both can impact greatly on their lives - and both are equally as important and it is not necessarily the ‘time’ that can make the huge improvement. Depending on what you bring, counselling may be short or long term - whatever your situation.
“Counselling never works”
Like many other forms of helping (medicine, personal training etc) counselling can help people to a greater or lesser extent, depending on many factors such as: sources of support, emotional readiness to change, clarity and realism of goals. The “chemistry” between the counsellor and client can also be an important factor - and even if counselling has not worked for individuals in the past, that does not mean that it may not be beneficial in the future. Some counsellors will suit clients better than others. You may have a preference for gender, or age, or ethnicity or culture. The “Therapeutic Alliance” is the main thing that gives Counselling its value - and the most important thing when you are seeking counselling.
"The therapeutic relationship...is the critical variable, not what the therapist says or does." Carl Rogers.
“Counsellors have their own lives all worked out”
Counsellors can sometimes be seen that way, and some might even believe it themselves sometimes, but it is definitely a myth!
“Clients will become over-dependant on their Counsellors”
It’s a risk, as with any situation where someone is helping vulnerable people but it definitely doesn’t always happen. Counsellors are trained to handle different situations as sensitively as possible.
“Counselling should always look at the client’s past”
This is something that varies a lot. It depends on the client’s issues and their roots, the amount of time available and what the client wants to do. A counsellor will not “make” a client reflect on the past but gently encourage them.
“Counselling is no use if the client is taking medication”
Like many things, medication is only part of the healing process, and both may be equally effective and complementary to one another. For instance, taking an antidepressant can help a depressed client engage in therapy, by easing emotional pain without necessarily numbing emotions. Tranquillisers, However, may reduce the client's capacity to reveal their emotions and so therapy at that time may not be as effective.
Liz Willis - part of the Cowan House counselling team
Last year we saw a surge in the number of young people seeking help for exam stress. This time of year can be very stressful for students. Problems with teachers on top of worries about exams, revision, and coping with workloads, can leave students struggling under pressure and potentially cause arguments at home.
When your child is experiencing stress, they may be irritable and not sleeping well. Losing interest in food, suffering from headaches or stomach pains, worrying a lot and appearing negative or depressed are all signs that exam pressures could be stressing them out.
The NHS say that it is completely normal for young people to feel nervous or anxious, and that it may be helpful for them to talk to someone - perhaps a tutor or a counsellor. If this is a route you decide to go down we have several qualified counsellors, with experience in this area, that would be more than happy to meet with you and see if they can help relieve some of the stress that your child may be suffering.
There are also a number of steps that you can take to help ease your child's stress and anxiety as much as possible:- Making sure they eat a healthy balanced diet.
- Getting enough sleep. Cramming all night before an exam is usually a bad idea. Having an hour to unwind after studying can also be helpful.
- Being flexible with chores around exam time.
- Draw up a revision time table and making sure they have somewhere comfortable to study.
- Encouraging exercise - this can help boost energy levels, clear the mind and relieve stress.
- Don't add to the pressure. Be reassuring and positive, avoid criticism and keep things in perspective.
NHS
“If you’re finding it difficult to cope or things become too much, talk to someone you trust about the difficulties you’re facing. Most schools, colleges and universities have access to counselling services where qualified therapists are available to talk through your issues in a safe, confidential environment.”
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
On Tuesday 19th April at 6.30pm, we will be hosting a 2 hour workshop for anyone that might be curious about mindfulness, or interested in joining an 8-week course.
The workshop will introduce participants to the key principles of living mindfully and offer some core practices to help cultivate mindfulness in daily life. Along with experiential practice we will also explore some of the theory behind how mindfulness works, and look at some of the latest scientific evidence to help you decide if this approach may be helpful. All attendees will be given a resource list to support the development of a personal practice at home.
The workshop is taught by Emma Thom, a fully qualified teacher of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. The cost of the workshop is £10 per person, or free for those that join the 8 week course - to reserve a place contact Emma on 07929 630 910, or send an email to our reception team. You ca find out more at www.themindfulchoice.co.uk.
To celebrate the upcoming launch of Our new Pilates page, we are offering a 50% discount on your first Pilates class with us. To redeem your half price Pilates class, simply contact our reception team to book your space.
Our classes cater for all ages, skills and fitness levels. They are kept small, providing a private, one-to-one feel - so it is important that you book in advance to ensure a place in the class. The reception team will take payment over the phone, or you can drop if you'd prefer.
Classes are held on a Monday at 9.45am-10.45am and Friday at 2pm-3pm, and cost £8.
This March Cowan House became one of the latest bases for South West Mediation - a team of specialist and experienced mediators that provide mediation services for families, businesses and individuals in the South West of England.
Jill Sage is the mediator covering the Weston-super-Mare area, and has a wealth of legal and financial experience to help you get communication back on track and solve your disputes. Before training to become a family mediator, Jill worked as a specialist family solicitor in Bristol. She is also recognised by the Legal Aid Agency to practice all types of mediation, including Direct Consultation with Children.
If you are interested in mediation or would like to arrange an appointment with Jill, please contact our reception team and we will put you in touch. You can find out more about South West Mediation and their work on their website.
Ingrowing toenails can be very painful and often need to be resolved through nail surgery. This procedure will relieve any pain that the nail is causing you, and involves removing part or all of the nail in question. Unfortunately we do not have the facilities here at Cowan House for our podiatrists to undertake nail surgery. If this is something you think you may require however, we thoroughly recommend that you book an initial consultation with Michael Thompson.
Michael Thompson is the lead podiatrist for the North Somerset Primary Care team, specialising in biomechanics, orthotics and musculoskeletal treatments - and can also offer nail surgery for around £280. This treatment involves an initial 30 minute consultation, and the surgery itself with two follow-up appointments. For additional toes, a full quote will be given during the initial consultation.
We are excited to announce that Katie and her Daisy Baby Classes will be coming to Cowan House later this month. Katie offers a range of classes - from active pregnancy and antenatal classes for mums-to-be, to Birthing Couples workshops and Baby Massage and Baby Yoga classes. Starting on Sunday the 26th of April, she will be running 3 weekly birthing and baby classes.
Katie comes very highly recommended and is loved by many in the Weston and Bristol area. If you would like to find out more about Katie and her classes, contact reception and we will put you in touch with her. She also has a very active Facebook page, which is a great way to keep up with her latest updates and read the interesting articles that she shares.
The Little Black Book is a new addition to our blog, and will be home to a directory of services and professionals that we may not offer here at Cowan House. It will include people and places that we cannot recommend enough, and we will refer them to you with complete confidence!
If you contact us we will be happy to help you get in touch with them.
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Cowan House
Mental Health Awareness Week 16th – 22nd May For Mental Health Awareness Week, I would like to try to reduce the “stigma” and dispel some of the Myths about Counselling. You don’t have to feel like your going ” Crazy” to have Counselling! You don’t have to have a serious mental health condition or anything “wrong” with you to have Counselling. You may need some help making a decision. It could be a current situation you need to talk through for example - making a decision about University, your career, relationship, or changing something in your life - nothing is too great or too small to want to reach out for some discussion on your situation. While your friends and family can be great for guidance, sometimes you need a professional who has no bias or stake in the outcome. A counsellor will listen with empathy (putting themselves in your shoes) without any judgement, in a confidential environment. With techniques and strategies, counselling can help you to deal with your concerns and find a way forward. It can take as little as two or three meetings to untangle your thoughts and get a clearer view of which direction you want to go in. Never think a problem is too small or insignificant to bring to counselling. Whatever is concerning you is important. When I first meet someone they often say “this is silly” or “It’s not really a big problem”. I never think it’s silly or unimportant. The time you have with a counsellor is about YOU and whatever you want to talk about. Myths about Counselling “Counselling should always take a long time” Some people want to address a great number of factors, whereas others may to wish to tackle what they may perceive as a small difficulty. Both can impact greatly on their lives - and both are equally as important and it is not necessarily the ‘time’ that can make the huge improvement. Depending on what you bring, counselling may be short or long term - whatever your situation. “Counselling never works” Like many other forms of helping (medicine, personal training etc) counselling can help people to a greater or lesser extent, depending on many factors such as: sources of support, emotional readiness to change, clarity and realism of goals. The “chemistry” between the counsellor and client can also be an important factor - and even if counselling has not worked for individuals in the past, that does not mean that it may not be beneficial in the future. Some counsellors will suit clients better than others. You may have a preference for gender, or age, or ethnicity or culture. The “Therapeutic Alliance” is the main thing that gives Counselling its value - and the most important thing when you are seeking counselling. "The therapeutic relationship...is the critical variable, not what the therapist says or does." Carl Rogers. “Counsellors have their own lives all worked out” Counsellors can sometimes be seen that way, and some might even believe it themselves sometimes, but it is definitely a myth! “Clients will become over-dependant on their Counsellors” It’s a risk, as with any situation where someone is helping vulnerable people but it definitely doesn’t always happen. Counsellors are trained to handle different situations as sensitively as possible. “Counselling should always look at the client’s past” This is something that varies a lot. It depends on the client’s issues and their roots, the amount of time available and what the client wants to do. A counsellor will not “make” a client reflect on the past but gently encourage them. “Counselling is no use if the client is taking medication” Like many things, medication is only part of the healing process, and both may be equally effective and complementary to one another. For instance, taking an antidepressant can help a depressed client engage in therapy, by easing emotional pain without necessarily numbing emotions. Tranquillisers, However, may reduce the client's capacity to reveal their emotions and so therapy at that time may not be as effective. Liz Willis - part of the Cowan House counselling team Last year we saw a surge in the number of young people seeking help for exam stress. This time of year can be very stressful for students. Problems with teachers on top of worries about exams, revision, and coping with workloads, can leave students struggling under pressure and potentially cause arguments at home. When your child is experiencing stress, they may be irritable and not sleeping well. Losing interest in food, suffering from headaches or stomach pains, worrying a lot and appearing negative or depressed are all signs that exam pressures could be stressing them out. The NHS say that it is completely normal for young people to feel nervous or anxious, and that it may be helpful for them to talk to someone - perhaps a tutor or a counsellor. If this is a route you decide to go down we have several qualified counsellors, with experience in this area, that would be more than happy to meet with you and see if they can help relieve some of the stress that your child may be suffering. There are also a number of steps that you can take to help ease your child's stress and anxiety as much as possible:
“If you’re finding it difficult to cope or things become too much, talk to someone you trust about the difficulties you’re facing. Most schools, colleges and universities have access to counselling services where qualified therapists are available to talk through your issues in a safe, confidential environment.”
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) On Tuesday 19th April at 6.30pm, we will be hosting a 2 hour workshop for anyone that might be curious about mindfulness, or interested in joining an 8-week course.
The workshop will introduce participants to the key principles of living mindfully and offer some core practices to help cultivate mindfulness in daily life. Along with experiential practice we will also explore some of the theory behind how mindfulness works, and look at some of the latest scientific evidence to help you decide if this approach may be helpful. All attendees will be given a resource list to support the development of a personal practice at home. The workshop is taught by Emma Thom, a fully qualified teacher of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. The cost of the workshop is £10 per person, or free for those that join the 8 week course - to reserve a place contact Emma on 07929 630 910, or send an email to our reception team. You ca find out more at www.themindfulchoice.co.uk. To celebrate the upcoming launch of Our new Pilates page, we are offering a 50% discount on your first Pilates class with us. To redeem your half price Pilates class, simply contact our reception team to book your space.
Our classes cater for all ages, skills and fitness levels. They are kept small, providing a private, one-to-one feel - so it is important that you book in advance to ensure a place in the class. The reception team will take payment over the phone, or you can drop if you'd prefer. Classes are held on a Monday at 9.45am-10.45am and Friday at 2pm-3pm, and cost £8.
Ingrowing toenails can be very painful and often need to be resolved through nail surgery. This procedure will relieve any pain that the nail is causing you, and involves removing part or all of the nail in question. Unfortunately we do not have the facilities here at Cowan House for our podiatrists to undertake nail surgery. If this is something you think you may require however, we thoroughly recommend that you book an initial consultation with Michael Thompson.
Michael Thompson is the lead podiatrist for the North Somerset Primary Care team, specialising in biomechanics, orthotics and musculoskeletal treatments - and can also offer nail surgery for around £280. This treatment involves an initial 30 minute consultation, and the surgery itself with two follow-up appointments. For additional toes, a full quote will be given during the initial consultation. We are excited to announce that Katie and her Daisy Baby Classes will be coming to Cowan House later this month. Katie offers a range of classes - from active pregnancy and antenatal classes for mums-to-be, to Birthing Couples workshops and Baby Massage and Baby Yoga classes. Starting on Sunday the 26th of April, she will be running 3 weekly birthing and baby classes.
Katie comes very highly recommended and is loved by many in the Weston and Bristol area. If you would like to find out more about Katie and her classes, contact reception and we will put you in touch with her. She also has a very active Facebook page, which is a great way to keep up with her latest updates and read the interesting articles that she shares. The Little Black Book is a new addition to our blog, and will be home to a directory of services and professionals that we may not offer here at Cowan House. It will include people and places that we cannot recommend enough, and we will refer them to you with complete confidence!
If you contact us we will be happy to help you get in touch with them. |
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